We did handheld on a slider bar in our master bathroom and plan to do the same in our upcoming hall/kid bathroom remodel.

Our slider bar is also rated and installed as a grab bar because I figure if it's there, people will end up using it that way. This one is from jaclo, which is $$$. I recently found one from delta, which I think is cheaper.

Looks good crl.

However notice where you hose connects to plumbing. I was wondering if anyone has mounted that close to where a standard showerhead would be in case you decided down the road to switch. For example if you wanted to replace your handheld with a regular showerhead you couldnt without ripping into wall.

Might not matter if happy with it. I just try to plan for flexibility down the road.

Wags, you would still have holes left behind from the slide bar if you switched, as well.

We have the same set up as crl_ except our water source and valve are both about 36" above the floor on either side of the slide bar. Our slide bar is a grab bar from Delta. I like the set up a lot. My only complaint is that after only about 2 months, certain pieces of the slide bar have a slight bronze-like patina to the chrome.

Functionally the set up is wonderful. My husband injured his back a few weeks ago and he was able to comfortably take a shower while using a shower stool. We're in our 30s, but we tried to err on the side of accessibility standards in our home plan and we're glad we opted for the slide bar.

Right, I don't think you can easily switch. Ours is the height at the height you would use for a regular shower head (see in the picture how our handheld is at that same height). But as mentioned above the plumbing would be off center and you would have holes from the slider bar. Plus I don't really see why you would want to switch. The slider bar allows you to position the shower head wherever you want it.

Benjesbride, thank you so much for mentioning that about your delta slider/grab bar. I will stick with the more expensive jaclo for our hall bath as the one in our master bathroom is going on two years old and still looks brand new.

I just installed our new HansGrohe handheld last week. Bought it at Fergusons. It is the best ever. Wife is 5'2".

In our old house, we took out the standard showerhead and put a handheld in its place for washing the kids. Before we sold the house, we put the old showerhead back.

In our new house, we have a showerpipe system that has the standard head plus a hand shower on the same bar. (We picked the particular one because it is low-flow to meet California requirements.)

We took forever mocking the same decision up and holding it on the wall while one stood under and the other looked. We were trying to get a balance of the faucet and control placement, where the shower outlet was, and how the hose would loop. We also considered what height the shower would be 'left' at and how that would look.

If you have a traditional stationary shower setup now, it might be tough for you to visualize it in your current space and current plumbing.

Yes the handheld would be slightly off center. It seems most are happy though. My worry from old handhelds is they get floppy and you always have to adjust them to stay straight,etc. So that's why I was being cautious for down the road. However the master bath shares the wall with kids bath, so if we hated the handheld, when we redo the master I could move plumbing from behind

.

Related Links

Houzz Featured Story: [HOW TO PLACE SHOWER CONTROLS FOR BATHING BLISS[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-place-shower-controls-for-bathing-bliss-stsetivw-vs~4690224)

Direct Link: [https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-place-shower-controls-for-bathing-bliss-stsetivw-vs~4690224[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-place-shower-controls-for-bathing-bliss-stsetivw-vs~4690224)

The featured story above might shed a little more insight into your plan as well.

I am so confused. Are you planning to use a slider bar? If so and if the part that holds the hand held shower in place stopped working properly, why wouldn't you just replace that part? Wouldn't that be a lot easier than re plumbing the shower head and needing to patch three separate holes in the shower wall?

crl. Imagine a regular shower head installed right now . Take that off and mount hose connection there. Then hand held would be mounted on bar slightly to either side. But from more reading seems everyone is pretty happy with handheld so I might not even need to worry.

Any recommendations on handhelds? Needs to be in nickel. Doesn't have to have all the bells and whistles but something with good durability,solid construction,etc . I can also mix and match right? i.e. Delta rough in valve and trim with another company handheld?\

Thanks

wagsgt94:

You will never be sorry paying for higher quality shower fixtures. Nothing from the big boxes; go to Ferguson and get a better name brand. They mix and match for you.

The HansGrohe pictured above replaced a week old Delta from Lowe's. I couldn't stand the thing. I set $100.00 on fire learning. Don't make my mistake.

We heeded the warnings about buying from big-box stores, so Ferguson helped us with all our bathroom plumbing fixtures. They actually directed us to the Delta grab bar as slide bar and the trinsic line of valves, etc. Kind of disappointed about the discolored parts; the grab bar was chrome and is now kind of looking nickel-like, but the end plates are still chrome. It functions perfectly, though.

Of course, it's not Ferguson's fault. It's just frustrating. My husband didn't even notice the color change. I think the Delta products with integrated grab bar function might be a new thing? If I remember correctly, our Ferguson didn't have them on display yet in January.

Not sure how big your shower space is, but in ours--which is a tub-shower combo so pretty small--it would be less comfortable to take a shower if the shower head were off-center. It would mean standing off center to rinse hair and such and that would run you into the wall or the shower curtain.

With the Delta ADA slide bar, you mount the bar off center and the hand shower hangs to the right or left. I'll paste a pic below. It's hard to tell, but that black piece rotates around the bar.

I think it's important to center the shower head on the drain. You don't--or I don't--want to be standing under the shower head with my foot on the drain.

Those use Grohe or Hansgrohe handhelds, are you also using the valve trim and Tub spout if applicable? If not what are you using and how do nickel finishes match up?

I have a Hansgrohe hand held, but it is polished chrome. It matches the jaclo chrome slider bar perfectly, but I understand chromes are less variable.